Jesse Arbor, 85, one of the trailblazing black Navy officers in World War II known as the "Golden Thirteen," died Tuesday, Jan. 11, in his home on Chicago's South Side. Mr. Arbor told a biographer that he joined the Navy in 1942 to avoid being drafted into the Army. He had three brothers in the Army, none of whom recommended it. Two years later, Mr. Arbor was chosen to become one of the first black officers in the Navy. In the early days of the war, the Navy's rolls included more...

Q. William Balfour, the man charged in the Oct. 24 slayings of entertainer Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew, wasn't exactly a model parolee, was he? A. No. He left prison in May 2006, having served almost 7 years for a conviction on carjacking and attempted murder. According to Illinois Department of Corrections officials, one of the conditions of his "mandatory supervised release" -- what we informally call parole -- was that he attend anger...

Mass for Henry J. Jensen, 76, will be said at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, 8300 S. Kostner Ave. Mr. Jensen died Thursday in Arizona. Originally from Chicago, Mr. Jensen worked as a municipal bond executive with Eastman Dillon Co. from 1947 to 1962, and then with Bache and Co. and Boetcher and Co. in Arizona from 1962 to 1976, when he retired. He was a warrant officer in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Survivors include a sister, Veronica Franks Purtell.

When Army Spc. Joseph F. Herndon II was just 9 years old, his father died of a heart attack. It caused him to mature quickly and rely on sports as an outlet. "I think it was a way to release some of the anger and stress in his life," said his mother Virginia. Because his mother was a special education teacher, he learned early on the importance of respecting all people, and later, when he became captain of his high school football team, he encouraged all the players, even the...

Arnold D. Armstrong, 78, of Sun City, Ariz., and Aurora, died Oct. 6 in Henry County Hospital while visiting his son in Atlanta. Mr. Armstrong attended West Aurora High School and Ohio State University. He was a warrant officer in the Army. Mr. Armstrong was a contractor who built many homes and churches in Aurora. Survivors include his wife, Myrtle; two sons, Arnold and Keith; a sister; five grandsons; and a great-grandson. Services will be held Oct. 25 in Sun City.

Chief Warrant Officers Matthew Laskowski, 32, and Stephen M. Wells, 29, were both family men and career soldiers. But they also shared something else in common. The two men, assigned to the 4th Squadron, Outlaw Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Ft. Carson, Colo., died on Feb. 25 in Habbinayah, Iraq, when the OH-58 helicopter they were flying crashed, according to the Department of Defense. "They were both excellent, expert pilots," said Richard Bridges, an Army spokesperson.

Q. William Balfour, the man charged in the Oct. 24 slayings of entertainer Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew, wasn't exactly a model parolee, was he? A. No. He left prison in May 2006, having served almost 7 years for a conviction on carjacking and attempted murder. According to Illinois Department of Corrections officials, one of the conditions of his "mandatory supervised release" -- what we informally call parole -- was that he attend anger...

Jesse Arbor, 85, one of the trailblazing black Navy officers in World War II known as the "Golden Thirteen," died Tuesday, Jan. 11, in his home on Chicago's South Side. Mr. Arbor told a biographer that he joined the Navy in 1942 to avoid being drafted into the Army. He had three brothers in the Army, none of whom recommended it. Two years later, Mr. Arbor was chosen to become one of the first black officers in the Navy. In the early days of the war, the Navy's rolls included more...

Anton J. Schlechta, 91, a retired Chicago police sergeant, was a former director of the Chicago Police Department Band. He also conducted the 1937, 1938 and 1940 Veterans of Foreign Wars national champion bands. Private services for Mr. Schlechta, a resident of Seminole, Fla., will be held Thursday in Seminole. He died in a nursing home there Tuesday. Mr. Schlechta was born in Chicago in 1895 and graduated from Harrison High School. He attended the University of Chicago from 1914 to 1917,...

A criminal warrant sweep conducted early Sunday by the Lake County sheriff's office netted four arrests and turned up dozens of leads on other people on the run from the law, authorities said. Eight sheriff's deputies and two officers from the Zion Police Department conducted the sweep, which began at 6:30 a.m. and concentrated on suspects last known to be residing in Zion and Beach Park. The sweep was the latest in a series of warrant roundups led by the sheriff's office. ...

Services for William S. Suominin, 74, a onetime lieutenant of security guards at the First National Bank of Chicago, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the chapel at 17943 S. Torrence Ave., Lansing. Mr. Suominin, a Dolton resident, died Monday in Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey. He worked for the First National Bank from 1973, the year he retired from the Army, until 1976. He enlisted in the Army in 1931 as a private and was a warrant officer when he retired. During World War II, Mr. Suominin, then a...

Arnold D. Armstrong, 78, of Sun City, Ariz., and Aurora, died Oct. 6 in Henry County Hospital while visiting his son in Atlanta. Mr. Armstrong attended West Aurora High School and Ohio State University. He was a warrant officer in the Army. Mr. Armstrong was a contractor who built many homes and churches in Aurora. Survivors include his wife, Myrtle; two sons, Arnold and Keith; a sister; five grandsons; and a great-grandson. Services will be held Oct. 25 in Sun City.

William S. Bridgeforth Jr., 81, a former Chicagoan, soldier and businessman, died Nov. 25 in Deltona, Fla. Mr. Bridgeforth was one of the first African-American owners of a Chicago taxicab company, Bridgeforth Cab, which he sold in 1955. He also founded a construction company, Lakeside Development and Reconstruction, which has been responsible for building more than 200 houses, schools and churches in the Chicago area. Some of his projects include St. Edmund's School, Charlotte Baptist Church and a...

Having picked Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl, I am, as they say at the track, still alive in the double, not to mention my choice of USC in the Rose Bowl and Nebraska in the Tostitos. With a start like this, I can see that 1996 is going to be a very good year. Other predictions that you can take to the bank, though they won't help you much at the ATM: Mike Tyson--Attempting to reunify the heavyweight title, Tyson will fight all comers as long as they are...

Having picked Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl, I am, as they say at the track, still alive in the double, not to mention my choice of USC in the Rose Bowl and Nebraska in the Tostitos. With a start like this, I can see that 1996 is going to be a very good year. Other predictions that you can take to the bank, though they won't help you much at the ATM: Mike Tyson--Attempting to reunify the heavyweight title, Tyson will fight all comers as long as they are...

William S. Bridgeforth Jr., 81, a former Chicagoan, soldier and businessman, died Nov. 25 in Deltona, Fla. Mr. Bridgeforth was one of the first African-American owners of a Chicago taxicab company, Bridgeforth Cab, which he sold in 1955. He also founded a construction company, Lakeside Development and Reconstruction, which has been responsible for building more than 200 houses, schools and churches in the Chicago area. Some of his projects include St. Edmund's School, Charlotte Baptist Church and a...

When Army Spc. Joseph F. Herndon II was just 9 years old, his father died of a heart attack. It caused him to mature quickly and rely on sports as an outlet. "I think it was a way to release some of the anger and stress in his life," said his mother Virginia. Because his mother was a special education teacher, he learned early on the importance of respecting all people, and later, when he became captain of his high school football team, he encouraged all the players, even the...

Mass for Henry J. Jensen, 76, will be said at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, 8300 S. Kostner Ave. Mr. Jensen died Thursday in Arizona. Originally from Chicago, Mr. Jensen worked as a municipal bond executive with Eastman Dillon Co. from 1947 to 1962, and then with Bache and Co. and Boetcher and Co. in Arizona from 1962 to 1976, when he retired. He was a warrant officer in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Survivors include a sister, Veronica Franks Purtell.

Chief Warrant Officers Matthew Laskowski, 32, and Stephen M. Wells, 29, were both family men and career soldiers. But they also shared something else in common. The two men, assigned to the 4th Squadron, Outlaw Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Ft. Carson, Colo., died on Feb. 25 in Habbinayah, Iraq, when the OH-58 helicopter they were flying crashed, according to the Department of Defense. "They were both excellent, expert pilots," said Richard Bridges, an Army spokesperson.

Services for William S. Suominin, 74, a onetime lieutenant of security guards at the First National Bank of Chicago, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the chapel at 17943 S. Torrence Ave., Lansing. Mr. Suominin, a Dolton resident, died Monday in Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey. He worked for the First National Bank from 1973, the year he retired from the Army, until 1976. He enlisted in the Army in 1931 as a private and was a warrant officer when he retired. During World War II, Mr. Suominin, then a...